diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 1918894..aff3e7f 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -6,11 +6,14 @@ Minecraft_Overviewer.egg-info
 terrain.png
 cachedir*
 
+#MCPatcher HD texture files
+custom_*.png
+
 # vim swap files
 .*.swp
 
-# user-provided settings file
-settings.py
+# user-provided settings file as well as any variations on that name
+settings*.py
 
 # header files that may be copied over, if missing
 ImPlatform.h
diff --git a/overviewer_core/textures.py b/overviewer_core/textures.py
index cc2780e..6b0bbe5 100644
--- a/overviewer_core/textures.py
+++ b/overviewer_core/textures.py
@@ -189,6 +189,20 @@ def _load_lava():
         lavatexture = _load_image("lava.png")
     return lavatexture
 
+def _load_fire():
+    """Special-case function for loading fire, handles
+    MCPatcher-compliant custom animated fire."""
+    try:
+        # try the MCPatcher case first
+        firetextureNS = _load_image("custom_fire_n_s.png")
+        firetextureNS = firetextureNS.crop((0, 0, firetextureNS.size[0], firetextureNS.size[0]))
+        firetextureEW = _load_image("custom_fire_e_w.png")
+        firetextureEW = firetextureEW.crop((0, 0, firetextureEW.size[0], firetextureEW.size[0]))
+        return (firetextureNS,firetextureEW)
+    except IOError:
+        firetexture = _load_image("fire.png")
+        return (firetexture,firetexture)
+
 def _split_terrain(terrain):
     """Builds and returns a length 256 array of each 16x16 chunk of texture"""
     textures = []
@@ -1453,10 +1467,11 @@ def torches(blockid, data, north):
 # fire
 @material(blockid=51, data=range(16), transparent=True)
 def fire(blockid, data):
-    firetexture = _load_image("fire.png")
-    side1 = transform_image_side(firetexture)
-    side2 = transform_image_side(firetexture).transpose(Image.FLIP_LEFT_RIGHT)
-    
+
+    firetextures = _load_fire()
+    side1 = transform_image_side(firetextures[0])
+    side2 = transform_image_side(firetextures[1]).transpose(Image.FLIP_LEFT_RIGHT)
+
     img = Image.new("RGBA", (24,24), bgcolor)
 
     composite.alpha_over(img, side1, (12,0), side1)